Chapter 75: The Power of the Mera Mera Fruit Ravages Jinling

Demon City.

“Fire Fist—!”

Intense waves of fire erupted from Lu Jing’s body, crimson flames surging like a furious dragon and instantly engulfing the horde of rats rushing toward him.

The flames were terrifyingly hot, warping the air with their heat; the mutated rats didn’t even have time to scream before being reduced to charred corpses, cracking and popping into piles of black ash.

“Phew.”

Lu Jing took a deep breath, beads of sweat forming on his forehead—his spiritual energy was completely depleted; without hesitation, he pulled a crystalline spiritual energy potion from his space ring, bit off the cap, and downed it in one gulp.

As the potion slid down his throat, a cool surge of spiritual energy exploded within him; his parched meridians, like drought-stricken land finally receiving rain, rapidly filled with renewed power.

Although spiritual energy potions were precious, when people’s lives were at stake, what did it matter if it was wasteful? Kill as many as you can.

To be fair, the Mera Mera no Mi is actually pretty strong.

This isn’t to say he believes its upper limit surpasses that of the Magma Magma no Mi—or even has no limit; many online users make valid points: the Mera Mera no Mi isn’t the Hi Hi no Mi; its essence is combustion, not fire itself.

He didn’t care about that—trying to apply physics to Devil Fruits was fundamentally unreasonable.

Even Enel’s two-hundred-million-volt lightning couldn’t electrocute rubber.

The reason the Mera Mera no Mi is strong is that, at this moment in time, as an elemental Devil Fruit, it granted him immense power the instant he consumed it.

In fact, that power allowed him to hold his own even against Gu Che; he ultimately lost only because Gu Che’s stamina and regeneration far exceeded his own.

In terms of potential, though he hated to admit it, the Mera Mera no Mi was indeed inferior to the Azure Dragon Fruit.

But that largely depends on the user’s own capabilities, and he never intended to pin his entire future solely on a Devil Fruit.

Under the threat of dimensional invasions, countless divine artifacts exist—he couldn’t possibly be satisfied with just one Devil Fruit.

Lu Jing continued forward, heading toward the location indicated by his phone where the Tian Shu Bureau had reported the rat swarm’s concentration—but as he walked, he encountered a figure… no, a very long one.

“Golden Python?”

“No way, dude, did you even read the Tian Shu Bureau’s bulletin?”

“You don’t seriously think a snake will treat you as its master, no matter how docile its temperament?”

“I swear to—!”

Lu Jing stared at the serpent before him, its entire body gleaming gold with irregular white markings, and couldn’t help but curse.

The Tian Shu Bureau’s bulletin was so detailed, and yet you actually keep a Golden Python as a pet? Are you really that eager to die?

Sure, artificially bred Golden Pythons usually don’t attack humans and are docile—but dogs and cats usually don’t attack humans either, and yet aren’t they everywhere on the streets right now?

“Whatever, it’s pointless to argue now.”

Lu Jing shook his head, his gaze turning serious.

“Sssss.”

The mutated Golden Python gave him no time to think; after a brief coil, its tail whipped sideways with blinding speed, nearly leaving afterimages; Lu Jing felt the rushing wind and confirmed it was pure physical force—no spiritual energy involved.

“Hmph.”

He didn’t dodge or evade—he let the tail pierce straight through his chest!

“Puff—”

In the instant the tail swept through, Lu Jing’s body exploded into a burst of flames, then reformed; the mutated python’s vertical pupils contracted slightly, as if confused.

“Even after mutation, your intelligence is still this low.”

“You don’t even know how to use spiritual energy—you deserve nothing but death at my hands.”

Lu Jing sneered, raising his right hand as flames coalesced into a blazing white spear in his palm.

“Now, it’s my turn!”

He hurled the flame spear with all his strength; the mutated Golden Python swiftly coiled its body, using its metallic scales to absorb the impact.

“Clang!”

The flames exploded, leaving only a charred mark on the scales.

The mutated python hissed, its massive body launching forward with its gaping maw aimed straight at Lu Jing; Lu Jing elementized again, his fiery form dispersing the instant the jaws snapped shut, then reforming above the serpent’s head as he brought his foot crashing down!

“Boom!”

Flames erupted as the python’s head was stomped deep into the ground, cracking the asphalt; but it quickly writhed, its tail lashing like a steel whip toward the airborne Lu Jing.

Lu Jing vanished in a flash, reappearing instantly at the python’s vital seventh vertebra, slamming both hands onto its scales.

“Flame Explosion!”

“Boom—!”

Intense flames erupted from within, causing the mutated python’s body to convulse violently, fire leaking from between its scales; it thrashed wildly, flinging cars on both sides of the street aside, before collapsing with a final agonized hiss.

The flames gradually died out, but Lu Jing remained standing in place.

He turned his gaze toward a corner, where faint rustling sounds were emanating from the darkness.

「.」

His lips twitched slightly; a suspicion formed in his mind, but he hoped it wasn’t what he feared.

Unfortunately…

In the corner, a pair of cold, vertical pupils glowed in the shadows—then another, then another.

Confirming his suspicion, Lu Jing’s temple throbbed with veins bulging.

“You… really kept more than one pet snake!”

“I hope you’re still alive—and I hope you never let me find out who you are.”

The front row of snakes had already coiled, ready to strike.

Flames erupted again around Lu Jing, but this time his expression was far more furious, teeth gritted in rage.

“You’re dead!”

He leapt violently, transforming into a blazing meteor that crashed into the center of the snake horde, flames surging outward and incinerating everything around him.

Nanjing.

“Zzzt—!”

Blinding lightning tore through the night, splitting a massive mutated boar in half; its charred remains crashed heavily to the ground.

Lin Ruoxi shook her numb wrist, glaring fiercely around her.

Besides the boar she’d just killed, six more were fixed on her with hungry stares.

And before this, she’d already slain many.

“Why are there so many mutated boars in Nanjing?!”

She kicked the severed head of a mutated boar aside, her fury making her hair stand on end.

The surge of spiritual energy had been expected to trigger mass mutations everywhere—but she never imagined she’d encounter so many mutated boars.

One or two, fine—but this is ridiculous.

“Gurgle, gurgle.”

Another mutated boar charged at her; Lin Ruoxi’s temple throbbed with a visible tic, her right foot crackling with electricity as she leapt—

“Boom!!”

Blinding lightning exploded from Lin Ruoxi’s right foot as she descended like a bolt of thunder, slamming down with crushing force onto the charging boar’s skull!

Violent electricity surged through the boar’s entire body, freezing it rigid; its thick hide offered no protection against the terrifying strike—currents ravaged its insides, bursting blood vessels and charring muscles.

“Thud!”

The mutated boar collapsed heavily, smoke pouring from its orifices, reeking of roasted meat; Lin Ruoxi landed lightly beside it, residual electricity still dancing along her right foot.

“Give me something else—anything but more boars!”

She felt like crying.

(End of Chapter)